It’s been fascinating to watch as everyone has gradually discovered that immigration and the service economy and the Boomer love of deals has inexorably led to nothing lasting and nothing working anymore:
DEI, AI, outsourcing- all have contributed to a reality where once mighty America is running on fumes. Innovation today would mean diversifying the AI voices. You know we’re bound to get an Ebonics-spewing AI bot named Jamal. It already means eliminating the entry level jobs at McDonald’s and other fast food places, and replacing them with self-service kiosks. You find these self-service kiosks everywhere, including hospitals and doctor’s offices. Ironic- fast food and the medical system- two of the more dangerous elements in our collapsing America 2.0. We’re not making America Healthy Again any more than we’re bringing back American factories. RFK, Jr. just really polished his sellout skills by coming out in favor of the COVID vaccines for children and praising Anthony Fauci. You know, the guy he skewered so effectively in the best selling book on Amazon. Someone tell him to read his own work. There are no White hats. No heroes. Just AI bots and surly Black women....
Spacebunny and I don’t go out to dinner very often. And when we do, we always go to the same place: the restaurant run by our Italian friend. Sure, it doesn’t hurt that it is very possibly the best proper Italian pizza to be found anywhere outside of Italy – we both had an amazing Zuchetto from the seasonal menu that was made with pumpkin sauce instead of tomato sauce – but we make a point of not only going there, but telling everyone about it. Which is one of the many reasons he’s actually expanding his business when the restaurants all around him are going under.
The contracting economy is an opportunity to leverage your consumer power. Most businesses are on a razor’s edge, heavily in debt and teetering between survival and extinction. You can help tilt the balance every day by choosing quality over minimizing cost, working with friends and acquaintances rather than strangers, and serving as a cheerleader slash ad hoc advertising department for the companies that are good to you.
Excellence is a choice. Choose it.
